RURAL HEALTH NURSING: RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION STRATEGIES AND BARRIERS IN RURAL HEALTH CARE SETTINGS IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
Contributors: George Mason University.
Published: 1995
Number of pages: 208
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The purpose of this study was to identify the distribution of nurses, the recruitment and retention strategies and barriers, and the relationship of RN FTE vacancy status and RN availability to these variables in rural health care settings in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Nursing personnel shortages pose a significant threat to access, quality and costs of health care. This investigation revealed that traditional methods of determining RN workforce needs using FTE vacancy rates may no longer adequately represent the needs of nursing in Virginia and that recruitment and retention issues are effected by the changes in our communities and the health care system.

The collective summary of nursing personnel status identifying key areas of distribution and recruitment and retention issues add to the body of knowledge on rural nursing issues and may assist the direction of future recruitment and retention efforts, resource allocations (including FTE position allotments), as well as direct educational programs and policy development.

The data collection was achieved through a mailed research survey instrument sent to chief nursing administrators of health departments, hospitals and long-term care agencies in designated rural counties of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The findings indicated there is no acute shortage of nurses in the rural health settings when measured by the RN FTE vacancy rate calculations traditionally used to determine shortages of health care professionals (Bureau of Health Care Delivery and Assistance, 1990). However, additional data analysis revealed that there are critical vacancies and staffing needs not reflected in these measurements which need to be investigated further.

Major changes in the health care delivery system and the impacts of local economies and occupational foundations have altered the distribution, recruitment and retention issues in rural nursing. Overall, salaries, lack of full-time positions for RNs, local economies and competitive jobs elsewhere remain a recruitment and retention problem for the rural settings, while close relationships and work related variables remain positive incentives. Recruitment is viewed as slightly more difficult than retention, but at the present time neither are identified as very difficult.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-05, Section: B, page: 2560.

Thesis (PH.D.)--GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY, 1995.

School code: 0883.